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The Star
8 hours ago
- Business
- The Star
High public uni fees pricing out deserving students, says Dr Wee
KUALA LUMPUR: The increasing use of direct or open entry routes into public universities is raising concerns over high costs that are progressively pricing out deserving students from underprivileged and middle-income backgrounds. "We must re-evaluate this system when public universities begin to act commercially, deviating from their original noble goal of ensuring that bright students—especially those from low-income families—are allowed to succeed," said Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong at a press conference here. The MCA president highlighted the growing trend of public universities offering courses through open channels at exorbitant tuition fees. "This issue extends beyond Universiti Malaya. Other universities like USM, UKM, UPM, UTM, and UUM are following similar practices. "The shift towards these open channels is concerning, as it prioritises financial capability over academic merit, undermining the foundational ethos of public education," he said. On Tuesday (June 24), Dr Wee highlighted the sharp increase in UM's medicine and other critical field degrees fees for the 2025/2026 intake under its direct admission channel, Saluran Terbuka Universiti Malaya (Satu), which rose by 67.1% to RM500,000 from RM299,200 the previous year. In contrast, students admitted through the UPUOnline channel, which is government-subsidised, pay only RM15,000 for the same programme. He questioned if this stark fee disparity discourages students from lower-income B40 and M40 groups. Dr Wee said that he received overwhelming feedback from parents who shared their distress after highlighting the UM case. "Many of their children applied through the UPUOnline system, only to receive an acceptance contingent upon paying up to RM300,000 via the open channel. "This financial burden is insurmountable for most families, turning what should be a joyous occasion into one of despair," he said. Dr Wee emphasised that public universities were funded by taxpayers, with the annual budget approved by Parliament specifically to cover the salaries of chancellors and staff, and to maintain the operational needs of these institutions. While acknowledging that the funding might not be sufficient for all developmental expenses, he said this should not come at the expense of deserving students who qualify through the UPUOnline system. According to a previous Parliamentary reply, Dr Wee said 19% to 40% of public university placements are now allocated through these open channels, revealing a systemic issue that undermines the foundational ethos of public education. "I firmly believe that UPUOnline should remain the main and utmost channel for enrolment in public universities. "This ensures admissions are based on merit rather than financial ability, thus promoting social mobility for underprivileged students to turn their lives around via quality and affordable education." He also warned that the current trajectory risks transforming the education system into an elitist one, where only financially privileged students can access quality education. Citing an example, Dr Wee said the total cost for completing a public university medical programme has soared from approximately RM300,000 to over RM500,000, surpassing fees at some local private universities. "Similar hikes of 20% to 30% have been seen in other professional courses like law, and this casts doubt on whether public universities still prioritise talent cultivation or have shifted towards a quasi-private model. "While direct admissions can be implemented, public universities should expand their intake rather than using slots meant for UPUOnline students," he said. Dr Wee called on the government to establish a royal commission of inquiry to review these practices guided by learned educationists, emphasising the need to uphold the role of public universities in fostering talent and offering upward mobility through education. "We cannot allow financial capability to replace academic merit in determining university admissions. The government should intervene immediately to prevent further inequality in higher education access," he said, adding that the open channel intake should be halted. "Our public universities should remain bastions of opportunity, where students are admitted based on their abilities and potential, not their financial standing. "I hope the government takes decisive action to stop this trend and safeguard the future of higher education in Malaysia. It should remain a public right rather than becoming a privilege," he added.
The Star
9 hours ago
- Health
- The Star
Dr Wee: UM medical tuition hike a barrier for qualified B40 students
KUALA LUMPUR: Universiti Malaya's medical tuition fees, which have gone up for the 2025/2026 intake, have come under fire by student unions and MCA. 'The sharp hike risks shutting out academically qualified but poor B40 students from pursuing degrees in medicine and other critical fields,' said MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong. 'Are we now saying that children from less privileged backgrounds do not deserve to become doctors or pursue critical fields? Is the medical profession now reserved exclusively for the wealthy?' he asked during a press conference yesterday. Tuition fees for the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) programme have increased to RM500,000 for the 2025/2026 intake. This marks a jump from RM299,200 in the 2024/2025 session. These numbers were provided in a video from three months ago by Universiti Malaya Student Union (UMSU) student representative Lee Yu Dong, who is also an activist with the University Malaya Association of New Youth. Lee said that the high costs could lead to inequality in access to professional degrees. In another TikTok video posted around the same time, Jelyn Ong, who is a UMSU medical faculty student representative, said that access to public medical education is being shaped by one's ability to pay instead of academic performance. Speaking up: Dr Wee (seated, second from right) urging the government to uphold education rights for B40 children at a press conference. Also present were Chong (seated, second from left), Wong (right), and Leong (left). — LOW BOON TAT/The Star Dr Wee said yesterday that MCA was concerned about recent developments in Malaysia's higher education landscape, especially policies that appear to marginalise children from low-income families. 'It is disheartening that public universities are being seen as increasingly selective towards students from high-income families. This raises questions about the fairness of the meritocracy we claim to uphold,' he said. He also took issue with UM's admission channel known as Saluran Terbuka Universiti Malaya (Satu). According to him, students who secured a place via UPU – the centralised government admission platform – are charged only RM15,000 for the same five-year programme. The Satu channel is an alternative pathway for students to apply directly to UM, bypassing the primary UPU system used by Malaysia's public universities. It caters to students who missed the UPU deadline, were not offered a place or wished to apply with alternative qualifications like A-Levels or diplomas. The criteria for enrolment in degree programmes differ between UPU and Satu channels. For UPU, applicants need a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 3.00-3.80, with a higher threshold of 3.80 for competitive courses like MBBS. Accepted qualifications include Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM), Matriculation, Asasi UM, or equivalent such as A-Levels with AAA grades or IB with 36 points. Additionally, candidates must meet specific subject requirements, such as an A- in Biology, Chemistry and Physics/Mathematics for MBBS. Satu maintains similar academic standards but offers flexibility for non-current-year qualifications. For Malaysians applying to MBBS through Satu, a CGPA of 3.80 is required. Referring to UM's annual reports, Dr Wee pointed out that enrolment through Satu had risen from just 142 in 2018 to 399 in 2022. Citing data from the Higher Education Ministry, he said that nearly 60% of applicants to public universities in 2022 came from B40 households. 'What kind of message are we sending to this majority? That unless you can pay half a million ringgit, you have no future in medicine?' he asked. He warned that academic performance alone may no longer guarantee a place at public universities if wealth becomes the new gatekeeper. Also present at yesterday's press conference were MCA secretary-general Datuk Chong Sin Woon, Wanita MCA chairperson Datuk Wong You Fong, and committee member Datuk Leong Kok Wee.
The Star
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
Sharp hike in UM medical tuitions risks shutting out qualified B40 students, says Dr Wee
KUALA LUMPUR: The sharp hike in Universiti Malaya's (UM) medical tuition fees risks shutting out academically qualified B40 students from pursuing degrees in medicine and other critical fields, says Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong. The MCA president said the party is deeply concerned about recent developments in Malaysia's higher education landscape, especially policies that appear to marginalise children from low-income households. He said these include the dual admission pathway at public universities and the rising costs associated with direct-entry programmes. 'It is disheartening to note that public universities are being seen as increasingly selective towards students from high-income families. This raises serious questions about the fairness of the meritocracy we claim to uphold,' he said at a press conference at Wisma MCA on Tuesday (June 24). He was referring to Universiti Malaya's recent fee structure, which shows that tuition fees for the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) programme soared to RM500,000 for the 2025/2026 intake under the university's direct channel, known as Saluran Terbuka Universiti Malaya (Satu). This marks a 67.1% jump from RM299,200 in the 2024/2025 session. In stark contrast, students who secure a place via the UPU channel — the centralised government admission platform — are charged only RM15,000 for the same five-year programme, as their places are government subsidised, said Dr Wee. He questioned whether such a drastic disparity in fees sends the wrong message to students from the B40 and M40 income brackets. 'Are we now saying that children from less privileged backgrounds do not deserve to become doctors or pursue critical fields? Is the medical profession now reserved exclusively for the wealthy?' he asked. He warned that academic results alone may no longer guarantee a place at public universities if wealth becomes the new gatekeeper. Referring to Universiti Malaya's annual reports, Dr Wee pointed out that enrolments through Satu have risen sharply — from just 142 in 2018 to 399 in 2022 — signalling a trend that prioritises financial capacity over academic merit. Citing data from the Higher Education Ministry, he added that nearly 60% of applicants to public universities in 2022 came from B40 households. 'What kind of message are we sending to this majority? That unless you can pay half a million ringgit, you have no future in medicine?' he asked. Dr Wee also echoed concerns raised by former Universiti Utara Malaysia vice-chancellor Professor Dr Haim Hilman Abdullah, who warned in December last year that the open or commercial channels for university entry could entrench systemic inequality. Prof Haim had argued that such models risk marginalising STPM students and those without the financial means to self-fund their studies. The tuition fees for the MBBS programme at Universiti Malaya are set to rise sharply from RM299,107 in 2023 and RM299,200 in 2024 to RM500,000 in 2025 — a 67.1% jump, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 29.3%. Fees for related programmes are also increasing. The Bachelor of Biomedical Science sees a rise from RM102,919 in 2023 to RM103,000 in 2024, and RM136,800 in 2025. Similarly, the Bachelor of Nursing Science increases from RM112,237 in 2023 to RM112,300 in 2024, and RM136,800 in 2025. Critics warn that these hikes will place public medical education out of reach for most STPM and matriculation students who are unable to secure places through UPU or lack financial means — effectively reserving medical seats for the wealthy.
